VoiceThread Bloghttps://voicethread.com/blog/
Recent content on VoiceThread BlogHugo -- gohugo.ioen-usMon, 04 Mar 2019 15:51:24 +0000Using VoiceThread for Music Classeshttps://voicethread.com/blog/using-voicethread-for-music-classes/
Mon, 04 Mar 2019 15:51:24 +0000https://voicethread.com/blog/using-voicethread-for-music-classes/This is a guest post by Music Educator and VoiceThreader, Erika Safford.
VoiceThread is an amazing resource for the music classroom at any level. I frequently use VoiceThread in instrument instruction in my general/vocal music classroom. It allows me to have various groups at different levels learning and testing on different pieces at the same time. For beginners, I post a video of myself giving instruction on how to play the piece, a copy of the sheet music, and any accompaniment tracks that they can use.2019 VoiceThread Roadmaphttps://voicethread.com/blog/2019-voicethread-roadmap/
Fri, 08 Feb 2019 16:35:36 +0000https://voicethread.com/blog/2019-voicethread-roadmap/“Conversation is a catalyst for innovation” – John Seely Brown High quality conversations and higher order thinking have a chicken-and-egg relationship, where the important fact isn’t which came first but rather that you won’t find one without the other. VoiceThread is a broadly accessible sandbox for perfecting the skills required for world class conversations and the higher order thinking that drives them.
We are excited to share some recent platform developments as well as what’s next for your bigger and better VoiceThread conversations.Celebrating International Creativity Month with VoiceThreadhttps://voicethread.com/blog/celebrating-international-creativity-month-with-voicethread/
Fri, 01 Feb 2019 15:19:33 +0000https://voicethread.com/blog/celebrating-international-creativity-month-with-voicethread/This is a guest post by educator and VoiceThreader, Tasia King.
I bet when Randall Munson created International Creativity Month, he had no idea of how this would impact the minds of students at my elementary school in South Carolina. During the month of January, I wanted to make it clear that our students can, and are ready to be creative geniuses this month and beyond. I’d have to say that many times, schools across our country are the very places to stifle students’ creativity.Taking advantage of UDL with VoiceThread's Closed Captioninghttps://voicethread.com/blog/taking-advantage-of-udl-with-voicethreads-closed-captioning/
Thu, 24 Jan 2019 13:58:40 +0000https://voicethread.com/blog/taking-advantage-of-udl-with-voicethreads-closed-captioning/This is a guest post by VoiceThread Certified Educator, Curtis Izen.
In my online and f2f business information courses, I have used VoiceThread for a variety of assignments. This includes an “ice breaker” (Ice Breaker), transforming discussion boards (Transforming Discussion Boards), group PowerPoint (Group PowerPoint), individual research assignments to be shared for the entire class to learn from (Sharing your Research) , using comment moderation in a Microsoft Excel assignment (Using Comment Moderation) as well as students needing to create their own VoiceThread from scratch (Creating your Own VoiceThread).VoiceThread Benefits from Teacher's Training Experiencehttps://voicethread.com/blog/voicethread-benefits-from-teachers-training-experience/
Mon, 10 Dec 2018 14:42:26 +0000https://voicethread.com/blog/voicethread-benefits-from-teachers-training-experience/This is a guest post by educator and VoiceThreader Luisa Josefa Corsi García.
I want to share some of the benefits I had after taking a short teacher training workshop on VoiceThread. Thanks to that course I was able to learn how to use some extra tools that the VoiceThread offers to us, such as the video VoiceThreads that I was not using up to that moment. I was truly motivated by concrete pedagogical concerns in the speaking component that pushed me to innovate using new technologies with my undergraduate students at Los Andes University.Online Instruction of Technical Skills Through VoiceThreadhttps://voicethread.com/blog/online-instruction-of-technical-skills-through-voicethread/
Thu, 15 Nov 2018 13:48:38 +0000https://voicethread.com/blog/online-instruction-of-technical-skills-through-voicethread/This is a guest post by educator and VoiceThreader, Jennifer Schultz.
How can I teach hands-on technical skills in an online environment? How can I be sure that students not only understand concepts, but can apply them to their future careers? How can I encourage students to do their best when I’m not in the classroom with them 3 days a week? These were the unknowns that I
faced as we attempted to deliver face-to-face training for speech-language pathology assistants in an online classroom.Using VoiceThread in my Art Roomhttps://voicethread.com/blog/using-voicethread-in-my-art-room/
Mon, 01 Oct 2018 14:42:22 +0000https://voicethread.com/blog/using-voicethread-in-my-art-room/This is a guest post by educator and VoiceThreader, Jim Briggs.
I am an Art Educator, 24 years strong, and I say, “you can teach an old dog new tricks!” Although I primarily teach traditional art: drawing, painting, collage, sculpture, etc., to grades K-5, I also enjoy infusing a little art &amp; technology-based learning into my lessons when I feel it is necessary and extremely useful to my students. For me, VoiceThread quickly became one of those perfect tools to use every day.Game-Based Learning with VoiceThread- Part 3: The Ultimatum Gamehttps://voicethread.com/blog/game-based-learning-with-voicethread-part-3-the-ultimatum-game/
Tue, 04 Sep 2018 14:40:33 +0000https://voicethread.com/blog/game-based-learning-with-voicethread-part-3-the-ultimatum-game/*This is part 3 of our Game-Based learning series. You can check out part 1 and part 2 here.
The Ultimatum Game is popular in Economics and Psychology courses but it can be applied to a variety of different course subjects like History, Math, and Literature. Below, you will see a few examples of how this game can be used in different educational contexts on VoiceThread.
How does the game work?Game-Based Learning with VoiceThread Part 2: Visual Pop Quiz Gameshttps://voicethread.com/blog/game-based-learning-with-voicethread-part-2-visual-pop-quiz-games/
Mon, 20 Aug 2018 13:13:21 +0000https://voicethread.com/blog/game-based-learning-with-voicethread-part-2-visual-pop-quiz-games/*This is part 2 of our Game-Based Learning series. You can check out part 1 here: Doodle Games.
In the days before technology empowered educators, the phrase “pop quiz” would instill fear in the hearts of students. Students didn’t like pop quizzes because they didn’t have time to prepare. They were simply assessments, that usually counted toward a student’s grade, and were all anxiety but no fun. This no longer needs to be the case.VoiceThread Roadmap for Summer 2018https://voicethread.com/blog/voicethread-roadmap-for-summer-2018/
Thu, 09 Aug 2018 15:57:24 +0000https://voicethread.com/blog/voicethread-roadmap-for-summer-2018/What’s New Interactive Video Commenting Now you can insert your comments into a video exactly where you want them. Comments will appear in the video’s timeline as a small blue nib, allowing you to see where others have inserted them as well. The best part is that you don’t have to learn anything new. It just works.
Pause While Recording While you’re recording audio or video in VoiceThread, you might need a quick break.Game-Based Learning with VoiceThread- Part 1: Doodle Gameshttps://voicethread.com/blog/game-based-learning-with-voicethread-part-1-doodle-games/
Tue, 07 Aug 2018 14:40:10 +0000https://voicethread.com/blog/game-based-learning-with-voicethread-part-1-doodle-games/Game-based learning is one of the most effective ways to get students excited about learning. Educators have been experimenting with games as learning tools for decades, but it isn’t always easy to design games using online tools. VoiceThread is not a gaming platform, but with a little creative lesson planning you can design activities that take advantage of gaming principles. Over the next few weeks, we will be showing different ways you can use these game-based learning principles for a variety of educational tasks.Interactive Video Commentinghttps://voicethread.com/blog/interactive-video-commenting/
Thu, 05 Jul 2018 17:57:27 +0000https://voicethread.com/blog/interactive-video-commenting/What separates good interaction from transformational interaction? Authentic engagement between people – student to teacher and peer to peer, not student to computer. We’re always working to make those interpersonal interactions easier in a VoiceThread.
Now you can insert your comments into a video exactly where you want them. Comments will appear in the video’s timeline as a small blue nib, allowing you to see where others have inserted them as well.Doing Things Differently in 4th Grade with VoiceThreadhttps://voicethread.com/blog/doing-things-differently-in-4th-grade-with-voicethread/
Tue, 29 May 2018 13:21:26 +0000https://voicethread.com/blog/doing-things-differently-in-4th-grade-with-voicethread/This is a guest post by educator and VoiceThreader, Preeti Singh.
Technology has revolutionized the world. The current generation of students learn better when they are taught with the aid of technology. There are numerous benefits in using technology, and teachers have to learn to apply it to their advantage in “doing things differently” and not just “doing different things.” I love technology and look for various tools to ‘hook’ my students into learning.Using VoiceThread with History Courseshttps://voicethread.com/blog/using-voicethread-with-history-courses/
Wed, 23 May 2018 14:35:58 +0000https://voicethread.com/blog/using-voicethread-with-history-courses/This is a guest post by History teacher and VoiceThreader, Gerald G. Huesken Jr.
The great Polish-born American rabbi and Jewish leader Abraham Joshua Heschel once wrote that, “Speech has power. Words do not fade. What starts out as a sound, ends in a deed.” In the course of my educational career, when given the option between the written word and the spoken word, I have always found that the spoken word tends to carry more weight, meaning, and depth of understanding for my students then the traditional written reflection or research paper.From Cradle to Grave: Having Students Create their Own PowerPoint VoiceThreadhttps://voicethread.com/blog/from-cradle-to-grave-having-students-create-their-own-powerpoint-voicethread/
Fri, 11 May 2018 14:12:34 +0000https://voicethread.com/blog/from-cradle-to-grave-having-students-create-their-own-powerpoint-voicethread/This is a guest post by educator and VoiceThreader, Curtis Izen.
In my online and f2f business information courses, I have used VoiceThread for a variety of assignments. This includes an “ice breaker” , transforming discussion boards, group PowerPoint, individual research assignments to be shared for the entire class to learn from, and using comment moderation in a Microsoft Excel assignment.
Through all these assignments, I created the initial VoiceThread.Casting Votes With Voicethreadhttps://voicethread.com/blog/casting-votes-with-voicethread/
Thu, 12 Apr 2018 14:47:21 +0000https://voicethread.com/blog/casting-votes-with-voicethread/This is a guest post by 3rd Grade Teacher and VoiceThreader, Traci Blazosky.
Every year, my students celebrate Major League Baseball (MLB) day. This day happens in my classroom on opening day for the Pittsburgh Pirates. The entire day is devoted to baseball related activities that all align with the Common Core. For ELA, we read a poem by Ernest L. Thayer, titled Casey at the Bat and complete a comprehension activity.Creating Reading Comprehension Assessments with VoiceThreadhttps://voicethread.com/blog/creating-reading-comprehension-assessments-with-voicethread/
Thu, 05 Apr 2018 10:00:16 +0000https://voicethread.com/blog/creating-reading-comprehension-assessments-with-voicethread/Any teacher who asks students to read materials understands the important of reading comprehension. Whether you are an elementary school teacher who teaches reading, a foreign language teacher who works to build fluency, or a history teacher who wants students to learn about WWII from their textbook, comprehension is vital to the process.
As Daniel Willingham points out in his NY Times Op-Ed, comprehension isn’t simply about decoding; it’s also about vocabulary and context.Using VoiceThread for a Bioethics Lessonhttps://voicethread.com/blog/using-voicethread-for-a-bioethics-lesson/
Mon, 26 Mar 2018 13:42:35 +0000https://voicethread.com/blog/using-voicethread-for-a-bioethics-lesson/This is a guest post written by a team of teachers and VoiceThreaders at the South Burlington School District.
Our students have a lot to say. Imagine all of the opinions swirling around our topic of Bioethics in a tenth grade general science class! How could we hear from each of the 85 learners in our 4 sections of Biology, and allow them to share thoughts with students in other sections?VoiceThread and Structured Literacy Instructionhttps://voicethread.com/blog/voicethread-and-structured-literacy-instruction/
Tue, 20 Mar 2018 14:56:49 +0000https://voicethread.com/blog/voicethread-and-structured-literacy-instruction/[Photo credit: TheDyslexicBook.com.] Students with Dyslexia are one of the most underserved student populations in our schools. When we discuss Universal Design and accessibility for students, we typically forget about students who struggle with text. The International Dyslexia Association has spent time working to help these students and recently shared a Structured Literacy approach that works well with VoiceThread.Adding the Human Element with VoiceThreadhttps://voicethread.com/blog/adding-the-human-element-with-voicethread/
Tue, 27 Feb 2018 17:26:57 +0000https://voicethread.com/blog/adding-the-human-element-with-voicethread/Online courses have many advantages, but they often lack that human connection we find in traditional, face-to-face courses. Why is this the case? Many online courses are designed to distribute information in ways that are limited by the tools used. We use platforms that allow instructors to upload documents and create text-based tests but we are missing the human element. In a face-to-face class, we can see and hear each other but this social interaction usually disappears once we teach online.Using VoiceThread to Discuss Infographicshttps://voicethread.com/blog/using-voicethread-to-discuss-infographics/
Mon, 19 Feb 2018 15:00:25 +0000https://voicethread.com/blog/using-voicethread-to-discuss-infographics/This is a guest post by educator and VoiceThreader, Samantha Stelz.
Is VoiceThread a tool that can be used in the primary grades? Is VoiceThread easy to learn for students who are not as familiar with technology?
The answer to those questions is…yes! VoiceThread is an excellent 21st century learning tool that students can use in a variety of ways across grade levels. When talking with other teachers from different counties and states across the US about how I utilize VoiceThread and other technology programs in the classroom, they often cannot believe that my students are ‘only’ second graders.VoiceThread Roadmap for 2018https://voicethread.com/blog/voicethread-roadmap-for-2018/
Wed, 31 Jan 2018 19:36:14 +0000https://voicethread.com/blog/voicethread-roadmap-for-2018/What’s new in 2018? No More Flash We’ve reached the finish line! VoiceThread is officially Flash free, and the new HTML5 version has been released to everyone. It’s been a long journey, and we’re very excited to have moved on to this phase. The HTML5 version of VoiceThread offers:
Options to speed up or slow down comments as you’re watching or listening. More responsiveness with less software to install and run.Share Your VoiceThreads with Our Communityhttps://voicethread.com/blog/share-your-voicethreads-with-our-community/
Wed, 24 Jan 2018 17:08:30 +0000https://voicethread.com/blog/share-your-voicethreads-with-our-community/Educators around the world like to share their work and now VoiceThread has a way to let everyone know what you’ve been working on too! Our public Browse page is a great place to see VoiceThreads from different subjects for both K12 and Higher Ed courses. On the Browse page, you will see different ThreadBoxes for each subject.
You can search for a ThreadBox about your subject and see what others have shared, then you can share your own!First (Snow) Day of Classhttps://voicethread.com/blog/first-snow-day-of-class/
Thu, 18 Jan 2018 14:52:45 +0000https://voicethread.com/blog/first-snow-day-of-class/This is a guest post by professor of Law &amp; Ethics and VoiceThreader, Matthew Phillips.
Today was the first day of classes for my university, but it was also a snow day. I drove into work anyway, in part because I’m just that stubborn and in part because I wanted to be ready for my classes, which were having their first meetings tomorrow (what was to be the second day of school).Flip Your Professional Development with VoiceThreadhttps://voicethread.com/blog/flip-your-professional-development-with-voicethread/
Fri, 15 Dec 2017 15:40:25 +0000https://voicethread.com/blog/flip-your-professional-development-with-voicethread/The concept of “flipping” the classroom has been around for a number of years but it hasn’t been widely adopted as a professional development strategy. Why is this the case? In a traditional face-to-face course, students are required to attend classes at a certain time in a specific classroom so their schedules are predictable. Professional development workshops for faculty are typically not as predictable. Scheduling workshops for teachers can be a difficult task because of after school activities, department meetings, office hours and a host of other obstacles.Using Comment Moderation to Evaluate and Reply to Your Studentshttps://voicethread.com/blog/using-comment-moderation-to-evaluate-and-reply-to-your-students/
Mon, 13 Nov 2017 14:56:45 +0000https://voicethread.com/blog/using-comment-moderation-to-evaluate-and-reply-to-your-students/This is a guest post by VoiceThread Certified Educator Curtis Izen.
In my online and f2f business information courses, I use VoiceThread for a variety of assignments. This includes an “ice breaker”, transforming discussion boards, group PowerPoint and using individual research assignments to be shared for the entire class to learn from.
This semester, I wanted to try an assignment utilizing a feature in VoiceThread that I have yet to explore.Ask Me Anything: Teaching with Comic Books!https://voicethread.com/blog/ask-me-anything-teaching-with-comic-books-2/
Mon, 13 Nov 2017 14:15:38 +0000https://voicethread.com/blog/ask-me-anything-teaching-with-comic-books-2/Have you ever used comic books to teach? Tim Smyth has, and he is ready to share his secrets with you in our first “Ask Me Anything” on VoiceThread! Learn how Tim has used comics to teach his high school students about the Civil Rights marches, Japanese internment camps, and more during this special, one-week only, online event.
Tim has helped hundreds of educators learn how to use comics to teach a variety of subjects like history, science, and classic literature, and he can share his strategies with you, too.Using VoiceThread for Language Classeshttps://voicethread.com/blog/using-voicethread-for-language-classes/
Mon, 06 Nov 2017 16:15:02 +0000https://voicethread.com/blog/using-voicethread-for-language-classes/This is a guest post by educator and VoiceThreader Dr. Daisy Sam.
I have been a classroom teacher since 2005. My only break from the classroom was in 2011 when my family moved from RI to NJ and this year school year as we made another transition from NJ to FL. Sometimes the teaching life is so involved you seldom have time to sit and reflect on the lessons you have created.Ask Me Anything: Teaching with Comic Books!https://voicethread.com/blog/ask-me-anything-teaching-with-comic-books/
Mon, 06 Nov 2017 15:50:00 +0000https://voicethread.com/blog/ask-me-anything-teaching-with-comic-books/Have you ever used comic books to teach? Tim Smyth has, and he is ready to share his secrets with you in our first “Ask Me Anything” on VoiceThread! Learn how Tim has used comics to teach his high school students about the Civil Rights marches, Japanese internment camps, and more during this special online event.
Tim has helped hundreds of educators learn how to use comics to teach a variety of subjects like history, science, and classic literature, and he can share his strategies with you, too.Why VoiceThread?https://voicethread.com/blog/why-voicethread/
Mon, 30 Oct 2017 13:55:11 +0000https://voicethread.com/blog/why-voicethread/This is a guest post by VoiceThread Certified Educator Donna Hanks.
VoiceThread has completely changed the teaching and learning dynamic of my online courses! Classes are more engaging, student participation is rich with information and providing feedback is simple yet meaningful!
I initially started using VoiceThread as a replacement to the traditional discussion board in my online Supervisory Management course. Rather than have students type out their thoughts to a question, self-assessment or case study, I have students use VoiceThread.Using VoiceThread to Enhance Existing Assignmentshttps://voicethread.com/blog/using-voicethread-to-enhance-existing-assignments/
Mon, 16 Oct 2017 13:35:06 +0000https://voicethread.com/blog/using-voicethread-to-enhance-existing-assignments/This is a guest post by Nursing Educator and VoiceThreader Kimberly Davis.
I attended the online VoiceThread Basics Training this past spring and was quickly hooked! One of the features that really appealed to me about using VoiceThread was the idea that students could use multiple modalities to express themselves. I teach Concepts of Professional Nursing, an introductory nursing course, where students have traditionally used a written discussion board post to answer how this class has shaped their professional identity.A VoiceThread for Any Coursehttps://voicethread.com/blog/a-voicethread-for-any-course/
Thu, 31 Aug 2017 14:47:43 +0000https://voicethread.com/blog/a-voicethread-for-any-course/This is a guest post by educator and VoiceThreader, Dana Heimlich, MS,Ed.
I love VoiceThread! I love it so much that I’m always tweeting my gratitude to them–which is how I ended up writing this guest blog post (seriously). I’m very excited to share my experiences in the hopes that it might inspire you to give VoiceThread a try!
I discovered VoiceThread years ago as a high school German teacher.VoiceThread Roadmap for Fall 2017https://voicethread.com/blog/voicethread-roadmap-for-fall-2017/
Sun, 13 Aug 2017 16:19:55 +0000https://voicethread.com/blog/voicethread-roadmap-for-fall-2017/What’s New in 2017 Say Goodbye to Flash! Our transition away from Flash has been an ongoing project over the last four years. Not unlike re-building a plane in flight, it required keeping in mind that VoiceThreaders all over the world were counting on us to keep the conversations going no matter what. It’s been a long road, but now you don’t need any Flash whatsoever to use VoiceThread.New Comment Controls + Pecha Kucha and Ignitehttps://voicethread.com/blog/new-comment-controls-pecha-kucha-and-ignite/
Tue, 08 Aug 2017 14:23:45 +0000https://voicethread.com/blog/new-comment-controls-pecha-kucha-and-ignite/Flexibility is one of VoiceThread’s strengths as an instructional tool, but sometimes restrictions can actually bring focus to a learning experience and make it much more engaging for students. We’ve just included two new features that allow instructors to do just that.
Setting the Maximum Comment Length
By default, audio and video comments recorded in VoiceThread can be up to 60 minutes long. Now you can set a shorter limit for comments for any VoiceThread you’ve created.Course: Teaching Languages with VoiceThreadhttps://voicethread.com/blog/course-teaching-languages-with-voicethread/
Sat, 05 Aug 2017 21:12:31 +0000https://voicethread.com/blog/course-teaching-languages-with-voicethread/We are proud to announce a new online course for language teachers! Join us and discover how to design powerful VoiceThread lessons and assessments for your language learners. This week-long course is designed to give you a genuine learning experience through lesson analysis, discussion, and creation.
There is a live info session webinar before the course starts, but the course is asynchronous, so you can participate when you have time throughout each day.Look Ma, No Flash!https://voicethread.com/blog/look-ma-no-flash/
Tue, 01 Aug 2017 16:32:14 +0000https://voicethread.com/blog/look-ma-no-flash/VoiceThread’s transition away from Flash has been an ongoing project over the last four years. Not unlike re-building a plane in flight, it required keeping in mind that VoiceThreaders all over the world were counting on us to keep the conversations going no matter what. It wasn’t easy, but as of today you don’t need any Flash whatsoever to use VoiceThread. The new HTML5 version looks and feels the same while offering new features like adjustable playback speed, streamlined audio/video recording, and increased security.A Global Collaborative Project for Grades 3-8https://voicethread.com/blog/a-global-collaborative-project-for-grades-3-8/
Tue, 27 Jun 2017 14:52:55 +0000https://voicethread.com/blog/a-global-collaborative-project-for-grades-3-8/This is a guest post by VoiceThread Certified Educator, Christine Trimnell.
Have you ever participated in a global project before?
If you answered ‘no’ then this could be your opportunity to trial one!
We are looking for 16 classes across the world to ‘have a go’ with their students (grades 3-8).
Topic: Can we work together to save the endangered animals of the world?”
Objective of Project
To provide an opportunity for teachers who are new to online global projects to participate and gain insight into the many benefits of joining such projects.Free* (strings attached)https://voicethread.com/blog/free-strings-attached/
Fri, 23 Jun 2017 14:21:40 +0000https://voicethread.com/blog/free-strings-attached/Participating in a VoiceThread conversation is free and unlimited. People around the world use VoiceThread to capture and share their voices, and this has resulted in some amazing examples of human expression and collaboration. All that’s required to register for a Free account is a valid email address. VoiceThread does, however, have an number of accounts that offer upgraded creative and management features, and here’s why:
“Free” services are never actually free.Using VoiceThread for Field Trip Reflectionshttps://voicethread.com/blog/using-voicethread-for-field-trip-reflections/
Mon, 12 Jun 2017 14:14:23 +0000https://voicethread.com/blog/using-voicethread-for-field-trip-reflections/This is a guest post by educator and VoiceThreader, Austin Fleischer.
One of the biggest challenges with technology in education today is trying to navigate through the enormous amount of apps and websites that are available. I have been fortunate enough to work in a district that is one to one with technology. This has allowed me to explore a large variety of apps and create a list that we call our Core Tools.Transforming an LMS Group Wiki Assignment to VoiceThreadhttps://voicethread.com/blog/transforming-an-lms-group-wiki-assignment-to-voicethread/
Mon, 05 Jun 2017 15:02:13 +0000https://voicethread.com/blog/transforming-an-lms-group-wiki-assignment-to-voicethread/This is a guest post by educator and VoiceThread Certified Educator, Curtis Izen.
Each semester, I try refining or creating a new assignment. In my online MIS course, the students are grouped into teams of 4-5 students. Their assignment is to create a group wiki on an emerging technology in business. Using the wiki tools from their LMS, they are tasked to add any multimedia, text or links to make their wiki as engaging and informational as possible.Presentations, Virtual Meetings, and Substitute Plans: What CAN'T VoiceThread Do?https://voicethread.com/blog/presentations-virtual-meetings-and-substitute-plans-what-cant-voicethread-do/
Thu, 11 May 2017 14:19:18 +0000https://voicethread.com/blog/presentations-virtual-meetings-and-substitute-plans-what-cant-voicethread-do/This is a guest post by educator and VoiceThreader, John Briese.
These days teachers are embracing technology as a way to improve their instruction and help students find a deeper connection to their content. However, I talk to teachers all the time whose concern is that the only “technology” they have used in class is having their students create a PowerPoint. Therefore, my challenge has been to find the next step for them to take that will not overwhelm them, but will also help them move forward with introducing more 21st Century skills into their classes.Using VoiceThread with Hands-On Projectshttps://voicethread.com/blog/using-voicethread-with-hands-on-projects/
Wed, 26 Apr 2017 14:08:04 +0000https://voicethread.com/blog/using-voicethread-with-hands-on-projects/Educational technology shouldn’t compete with hands-on learning; it should support it. Regardless of which subject you teach, there are always opportunities for your students to get out of their seats and explore real-world learning and VoiceThread can help. Hands-on learning helps student by providing memorable experiences, but experimenting alone isn’t enough. Students need to analyze and reflect on those experiences to crystalize the lessons.
Here are a few ways you can use VoiceThread to support hands-on projects with your class:Seeking Purpose in the Digital Agehttps://voicethread.com/blog/seeking-purpose/
Fri, 07 Apr 2017 14:01:08 +0000https://voicethread.com/blog/seeking-purpose/This is a guest post by educator and VoiceThreader, Jessica Gonzalez.
I learned about VoiceThread when I started my new job in 2015. I work in the Center for Teaching &amp; Learning at Our Lady of the Lake University in San Antonio, TX. Primarily, my office works on teaching best practices with the faculty. VoiceThread, I came to understand, was an online tool that professors could use to add a human connection to their online coursework.Using VoiceThread to Celebrate Read Across America Dayhttps://voicethread.com/blog/using-voicethread-to-celebrate-read-across-america-day/
Fri, 31 Mar 2017 14:20:23 +0000https://voicethread.com/blog/using-voicethread-to-celebrate-read-across-america-day/This is a guest post by educator and VoiceThreader, Joel Solomon.
Every year our school celebrates “Read Across America Day” on March 2nd to honor Dr. Seuss’s birthday. We invite community members to visit our school and read to classes, the cafeteria serves “Green Eggs and Ham” for lunch, and we have a contest where classes decorate their doors to show how much we appreciate Dr. Seuss. As our school’s Technology Specialist, I’m always looking for new and innovative ways to incorporate technology into the curriculum, and VoiceThread is what I use to publish student work.New Terms of Service and Privacy Policyhttps://voicethread.com/blog/new-terms-of-service-and-privacy-policy/
Tue, 14 Mar 2017 17:50:15 +0000https://voicethread.com/blog/new-terms-of-service-and-privacy-policy/We’ve updated our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy to make our commitment to data privacy and ownership more visible and our policies clearer.
* Note that if your institution has a custom SLA in place with VoiceThread, these updates do not apply to you.
What’s new? Privacy Shield: We’re excited to be certified under the EU-U.S. Privacy Shield Framework, and have updated our Privacy Policy to reflect this.Establishing a Social Presence with VoiceThreadhttps://voicethread.com/blog/establishing-a-social-presence-with-voicethread/
Tue, 28 Feb 2017 19:21:08 +0000https://voicethread.com/blog/establishing-a-social-presence-with-voicethread/Have you ever asked students what they don’t like about online courses? If you have or if you’ve ever researched the complaints online students have, you’ll notice one major trend: students want to know the instructor is present, engaged and interested in them.
Since the advent of online courses, students have craved a strong social presence from their instructor. Sure, most students love autonomy and the freedom to direct their own learning, but no one wants to shout into the darkness.5 Lessons Classroom Teachers Can Learn From Coacheshttps://voicethread.com/blog/5-lessons-classroom-teachers-can-learn-from-coaches/
Tue, 14 Feb 2017 14:39:09 +0000https://voicethread.com/blog/5-lessons-classroom-teachers-can-learn-from-coaches/Classroom learning is often criticized for being too removed from authentic experience. Coaches rarely face the same criticism and here are a few reasons why. Coaches generally use most of the following approaches to teaching that can be overlooked in the traditional classroom setting:
Get to the hands-on practice as soon as possible &mdash;&mdash;&mdash;&mdash;&mdash;&mdash;&mdash;&mdash;&mdash;&mdash;&mdash;&mdash;&mdash;&mdash;&mdash;&mdash;&mdash; Athletes, just like academic students can’t start doing something until they know what it is they should be doing, but coaches know that with limited time they had better use words economically and get the students practicing and developing an understanding as soon as possible.Using VoiceThread for Poetry Critiqueshttps://voicethread.com/blog/using-voicethread-for-poetry-critiques/
Wed, 04 Jan 2017 15:03:20 +0000https://voicethread.com/blog/using-voicethread-for-poetry-critiques/This is a guest post by Educator and VoiceThreader, Mary Ellen Davies.
De Pere, Wisconsin and Hillsborough, New Jersey are separated by 999 miles. Without traffic, it would take over 14 hours to drive between these two towns. Given this large geographical gap, it might be surprising to know that students from De Pere Middle School and Hillsborough Middle School spent 4 days reading and critiquing poems together. With the help of VoiceThread, this asynchronous connection was possible.VoiceThread Roadmap for 2017https://voicethread.com/blog/voicethread-roadmap-for-2017/
Thu, 22 Dec 2016 16:34:50 +0000https://voicethread.com/blog/voicethread-roadmap-for-2017/We’re committed to making VoiceThreading easier, more versatile, and more powerful. We want to share with you how far we’ve come in the past 6 months and where we’re headed in the new year.
New Features in 2016 Retrieving Deleted Work When you delete a VoiceThread, it goes into your Trash. If you need to retrieve a VoiceThread that has been deleted recently, just go back and restore it from the trash.Capturing the Moment with VoiceThreadhttps://voicethread.com/blog/capturing-the-moment-with-voicethread/
Mon, 12 Dec 2016 13:42:57 +0000https://voicethread.com/blog/capturing-the-moment-with-voicethread/This is a guest post by educator and VoiceThreader, Andrea Plato.
When the bell rings at the end of the day and my students scoot out the door, I often reflect on the events of the day. I think about the discussions, clever comments, and insight my students share. The bad news is I can’t remember exactly what was said in the moment, and I feel like I’ve lost a treasure trove of ideas.